Fukai Mori
by pomegranate-stars
Summary: What she does know, however, is that she's never quite felt this calm and safe in the woods at night." OneShot. Husky/Nana.


**Hello! This is my first foray into this fandom, and is set sometime during their travels, but before Husky gives Nana the necklace. Please leave me a review after you're finished reading... I'm nervous as to how I portrayed the characters. Thank you, and enjoy! :)  
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**Disclaimer: I do not own +Anima.**

**The following OneShot is dedicated with love to my little sister, because I love her and she loves Husky//Nana.  
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Somewhere high in the darkening treetops, a bird lets out a single caw and, with a rustle of feathers, takes flight. Beneath the treetops, walk a pair of children, one girl and one boy. Taking a rudimentary glance, one might think that they were a love struck couple, two children taking their first hesitant steps into what may later turn out to be a real relationship. However, there are a few problems with this speculation.

First, they are deep into the forest and have strayed from the natural path, and it is growing dark. Surely caring families would be starting to worry? Second, take a look at the way they are standing. She has her hands clasped in front of her chest, her long honey-colored hair cascading down her back and over the twisting black marks hidden beneath her flounced dress. Her face is worried, and she chews her lip anxiously. He walks next to her, making sure to keep a distance between them, irritation radiating off of him in waves. His black mark is clearly visible twisting around his neck and he holds a staff loosely in one hand.

So, what happened then? If not just two kids out on a romantic tryst, why are they wandering around the woods in the low light of the dusk? Perhaps if we listen in, we may be able to unravel this mystery.

The leaves beneath their feet crunch. She glances quickly at the boy by her side before looking back down at her feet. "Husky?"

His eyes flick towards her. "What?"

"I'm scared."

He sighs grumpily. "Well, maybe if you hadn't gotten us lost, we'd be back with Cooro and Senri by now." He snaps at her and she wilts.

"I'm sorry!" She whines. "I just wanted to play with the bunny." She trails off as Husky glares at her.

"And I've told you before, never chase wild animals. They could be dangerous, and it would be just like a stupid girl to get mauled by an animal in the middle of the woods where no one could help you."

She stomps her foot on the ground and stops walking. "Stop saying that! Girls aren't stupid! You're the stupid one, Husky!"

Husky turns around to face her, his temper rising. "Oh yeah? Well, Nana, if I'm so stupid, you can walk the rest of the way back by yourself!"

Nana's eyes widen and she glances around the forest, which suddenly seems a lot darker than it had a few minutes ago. Sweat beads on her forehead and broken images and shrieks flash behind her eyes.

She squeals and throws herself forwards, wrapping her arms around Husky's waist. "No! No! No, don't leave me here by myself!" She buries her face in his shoulder, feeling tears spill from the corners of her eyes. For his part, Husky looks rather like he doesn't quite know what to do with this sobbing girl who has suddenly invaded his personal space.

His faces goes through a variety of different emotions—surprise, confusion, realization, guilt, contentment?—before he finally settles on annoyed. He allows his arms to wrap themselves around her (surprisingly, they don't seem to need much convincing) and pats her back awkwardly, letting his fingers trace over the place where he knows her +Anima markings are.

"Um, Nana? It's… alright." His voice is gruff, and he's clearly unsure. Crying girls are not his forte. In fact, girls in general confuse him to no end. But he must have done something correctly, because Nana's sobs trickle off to hiccups, and then stop altogether. They remain standing in their embraced position for a few extra moments, as Nana gains her composure and Husky seems reluctant to release her. Finally, they do break apart, and Nana looks at the ground, an embarrassed tinge on her cheeks.

"Sorry, Husky, I know how much you hate girls."

He looks surprised and quickly replaces it with his customary look of indifference. "It's alright. I made you cry." He says nothing more, but merely points ahead of them. "Let's just keep walking. Cooro and Senri are probably wondering where we are."

The two continue to walk through the now dark and forbidding trees, perhaps a little closer than they had before. The noises in the forest seem amplified to Nana, and she jumps like a scared rabbit at every animal cry and snapping twig. Suddenly, an owl screeches and she lets out a low wail and buries her face in her hands. Their trek comes to a halt yet again.

Husky notices and pulls her hands away from her face. "Nana, it'll be ok. Just keep walking. We're almost out of the woods." He continues to speak mindless comfort words, somehow sensing that that's what she needs to hear right now. His hand remains tightly around hers, and she clings to him as they walk through the dark.

In this moment, he is her protector, her guide, her best friend. She doesn't quite know what she'd do without him in her life. What she does know, however, is that she's never quite felt this calm and safe in the woods at night.

Finally, the trees thin out and seem to glow in the flickering light of the fire that Senri built. Up ahead, they can hear Cooro babbling ceaselessly about all the good food they'd just bought. Nana feels a smile break over her face as she listens to his antics, picturing Senri's blank face and Cooro's animated story-telling.

She smiles up at Husky, their hands still clasped together. "Thank you, Husky." She whispers and, before she has a chance to think things through, she stands up on her tiptoes and kisses him briefly on the cheek.

Husky's eyes widen and he claps a hand over his burning cheek, stumbling backwards. "Nana! Wh-What was that for?"

Nana shrugs, her own cheeks a soft shade of pink, and steps into the clearing, leaving a very confused boy behind. After a moment of listening to Cooro's shouts of glee, he grips his staff and follows her.

Once inside the clearing, Cooro instantly attacks him with a hug. As Husky pushes him away automatically, his eyes fall on Nana, who is talking to Senri. She meets his gaze and beams happily before sitting down gracefully on the hard-packed earth, the firelight banishing her fears of the dark forest and returning her to her usual happy self.

Husky shakes his head and follows Cooro to take his own place by the fire, one last thought lingering in his mind.

_Maybe girls aren't so stupid after all._

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**Thank you for reading and please review!**

**Love**

**Allie  
**


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